2/11/08 Breakfast With The Deer

- 23 F and clear on the mountain this morning. A bit below normal for this time of year.

- Rain forecast for tomorrow. Despite the continuing drought, the creeks within the properties are now at more normal levels for the time of year, but we can use all the rain Mother Nature can bring our way.

- Yesterday, the 10th, was quite interesting on the bird feeders. In all, 12 species of birds were photographed in about three hours of watching the feeders. Five of these species were woodpeckers and photos will appear in the journal within a few days.

- Attached is a photo taken early Saturday morning, February 9th. For a moment it crossed my mind that one of these deer (I was standing at the front door) was actually going to walk up on my front porch and join me for breakfast!

- The other photo was of one of these same deer, a bit earlier in the morning, at my nearby bird feeder, which is located about 20' from the front porch of the cabin. By the posture of the deer, it is obviously not the first time she had checked out this feeder. This feeder had been filled with sunflower seeds only 24 hours before, and by looking at the position of the cap of the feeder, it is apparent a thief had paid a visit. And I had been blaming the Raccoons!

- Just prior to the arrival of the deer, a large flock of Wild Turkeys had casually walked across the front yard. They will begin their incessant, early AM gobbling sometime next month. Their scratchings can be seen in the driveway beneath the feeder, the one where the deer is taking a sniff.